Savvy online shopping tips for Cyber Monday

Recovered from Black Friday yet? Now it's time to open your Web browsers and get ready for the next round of the holiday shopping frenzy, Cyber Monday.

Coined in 2005 as the term for the first Monday after Black Friday, Cyber Monday has been living up to its hype. This year's sales are predicted to surpass 2011's $1.25 billion record for single-day online sales, according to the digital research firm comScore.

Social media are expected to play a significant role in Cyber Monday shopping this year, with consumers looking to Facebook and Pinterest for gift suggestions. In addition, as tablets have become more affordable, more people can do their online shopping wherever they want at a leisurely pace, says Andrew Lipsman of comScore — be it curled up on the couch or while watching their child's basketball game.

Many consumers may have already started their online shopping before putting away the Thanksgiving leftovers. Cyber Monday is no longer isolated to a single day and has become Cyber Week, with retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Amazon promoting weeklong online deals. "It's an arms race in sales," says online shopping expert Michelle Madhok, founder of shefinds.com and momfinds.com. On Cyber Monday, Amazon will be posting limited-time sales throughout the day.

We asked three online shopping mavens — Madhok, Richard Chemel of JustDeals.com and Kathy Spencer, author and creator of howtoshopforfree.net — to share their tips for success on Cyber Monday.

Michelle Madhok

* Do your pre-work. Make a shopping list and prioritize. Some items may be worth waiting to purchase in the coming weeks, such as seasonal items like clothing or accessories that will get marked down. But you do want to jump on specific items like electronics, which are available in limited quantities.

* Get on Facebook and "like" your favorite retailers; follow them on Twitter. Sign up for a store's email newsletter. If you don't like all the extra junk mail, create a special email account just for shopping. The reason to get connected: Retailers are giving out special deals and early access to loyal followers.

* Try sites like pricegrabber.com and eBay, which allow shoppers to price-compare. Set a price alert to notify you when a price drops.

* Buy discounted gift cards at plasticjungle.com, which can be used to make online purchases.

* If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Do a search on the name of a particular website to see a record of prior consumer complaints.

* Save on shipping with an Amazon Prime Membership — for $79 you get free 2-day shipping on all items for one year.

Richard Chemel

* Take a look around the house for what you really need. Don't buy on impulse just because it looks like a good sale.

* Do your due diligence on retailers. Check on the warranty and return policy. Check the review of eBay sellers.

Kathy Spencer

* Before you check out and pay for an item, always search for online coupon codes at sites like savings.com.

* Earn cash back by making purchases through sites like ebates.com.

* If you need to stay within a budget, order a debit card online for that amount and stick to that one card for purchases.